The invention relates to a device for handling notes of value, comprising a head module and a safe module in which at least one cash box for holding notes of value can be accommodated. The safe module has a wall in which an opening for passing the notes of value is provided. In the head module, a transport unit for transporting the notes of value to the safe module and/or away from the safe module is provided. Further, a drive unit for driving the transport unit is arranged in the head module.
Many devices for handling notes of value, such as automated teller machines, are divided into a head module and a safe module. The cash boxes in which the notes of value are deposited are arranged in the safe module. By means of the safe module a protection of the cash boxes against unauthorized access shall be achieved. In the head module, on the other hand, all further units required for handling the notes of value are provided. For example, in the head module an input and/or output compartment for the input and/or output of the notes of value, a separating unit for separating notes of value input as a bundle, a stacking unit for stacking notes of value to be output to a value note stack and/or a checking unit for checking the authenticity of notes of value and/or for determining their denomination are arranged.
Further, in the head module, the safe module and the cash boxes accommodated in the safe module transport elements for transporting the notes of value between the individual units and the cash box are provided. For reducing costs and for saving space the automated teller machine normally comprises only one main drive unit which is arranged in the head module and via which a plurality of units can be driven. In particular, the cash boxes do not comprise an own drive unit for the value note transport. In the safe no drive unit is provided either since, for maintenance purposes, access to the safe module would be required, which due to the safety regulations to be met is only allowed according to the four-eyes principle so that always two service employees would be needed. Therefore, the drive force of the drive unit arranged in the head module is transmitted to the cash box mechanism and/or to transport elements in the safe module.
Dependent on the safety required, safe modules with different wall thickness are used. Dependent on the wall thickness, also the mechanism with which the drive force of the drive unit is transmitted to the cash box mechanism or the transport elements has to be designed differently. In known automated teller machines this is accomplished in that corresponding to the safe wall thickness different head modules are used, the drive unit of which is adapted accordingly. This has the disadvantage that for each type of safe module used an own adapted head module has to be used.
Such automated teller machines are, for example, known from document DE 38 81 690 T2.
It is an object of the invention to specify a device for handling notes of value, the structure of which can be easily adapted to different wall thicknesses of a safe module.
According to an embodiment of this invention, the device comprises an intermediate module for transmitting the drive force of the drive unit to the cash box mechanism of a cash box which can be accommodated in the safe module and/or to transport elements of the safe module for the transport of notes of value. The intermediate module is at least in part arranged within the opening in the wall of the safe module and designed such that it is adaptable to at least two different wall thicknesses of the wall of the safe module so that at least in the case of these two wall thicknesses it can transmit the drive force from the drive unit to the cash box mechanism or the transport elements of the safe module.
Thus, the head module is no longer directly coupled to the cash box but an intermediate module is interconnected which can be adapted to different wall thicknesses used. Thus, the head module and the safe module can remain unchanged independent of the wall thickness. By means of the adaptability of the intermediate module it is further achieved that even the intermediate module does not have to be replaced but only adapted to the corresponding wall thickness. Thus, as many different types of the device for handling notes of value as possible can be assembled with as little components as possible so that the production is simplified and costs are saved. Further, this has the advantage that all components subject to wear are easily accessible to the service employees without access to the safe module being required. Thus, maintenance can be carried out by only one service employee since, unlike in the case of the opening in the safe module, no second person is needed for supervision.
The device for handling notes of value is an automated teller machine, an automatic cash register system or an automatic cash safe. Preferably, the device is a mere cash deposit machine, i.e. notes of value can only be deposited in the automated teller machine and cannot be dispensed to a customer again but are stored in cash boxes.
The head module in particular comprises an input compartment for the input of notes of value as well as a checking unit for checking the authenticity of the notes of value and/or for determining their denomination. The transport unit in particular has a plurality of transport elements, such as rollers, by means of which the notes of value can be transported between the input compartment and the safe module.
The cash boxes, which can be accommodated in the safe module, are in particular designed such that they only comprise passive elements, i.e. that inside them there is neither provided a drive unit for driving the cash box mechanism nor a power source. On the other hand, in the head module in particular all active elements required for the device are provided, in particular the drive unit, the electronics and active mechanisms.
The drive unit is in particular an electric motor.
The intermediate module is preferably designed such that it can be adapted to more than two different wall thicknesses. In particular, the intermediate module is designed such that it can be adapted to all used wall thicknesses of the respective production series.
In the safe module, preferably at least one cash box is arranged, the mechanism of which is drivable by means of the drive unit via the intermediate module.
Further, it is advantageous when the head module comprises a first interface for applying the drive force from the drive unit upon the intermediate module. In this case, the cash box has a second interface for applying the drive force from the intermediate module upon the cash box so that the first and the second interface are mechanically connected to each other via the intermediate module so that the intermediate module transmits the drive force generated by the drive unit and transmitted to the intermediate module via the first interface to the cash box mechanism. Alternatively, also the safe module itself can have the second interface so that the drive force is transmitted to transport elements of the safe module. Preferably, the drive force can then also be transmitted from the transport elements to the cash box mechanism.
Dependent on the wall thickness of the safe module, i.e. dependent on the used design of the automated teller machine, the distance between the first and the second interface varies so that a varying distance has to be spanned by the intermediate module. For this, the intermediate module is designed such that in a first state it spans a first distance between the first interface and the second interface and in a second state it spans a second distance between the first interface and the second interface that is different from the first distance. Thus, the intermediate module can be adapted to the wall thickness of the safe module.
The first interface and the second interface preferably each have at least one gear wheel which in particular meshes with a gear wheel of the intermediate module.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the intermediate module has a chassis with a plurality of mounting elements for mounting gear wheels. In particular, the chassis has a plurality of holes arranged according to a predetermined hole pattern, in which the shafts of the gear wheels can be mounted. The chassis is in particular designed in the form of a metal sheet.
In a first state in which the intermediate module serves to span a first wall thickness a predetermined first number of gear wheels is arranged in holes predetermined for the first state. Accordingly, in a second state which serves to span a second wall thickness via the intermediate module a predetermined second number of gear wheels is arranged in holes predetermined for the second state. Thus, by changing the number, the arrangement and/or the size of the used gear wheels an adaptation of the intermediate module to the wall thickness and thus to the distance to be spanned between the interfaces of the head module and the cash box or the safe module can be accomplished in an easy manner.
In a possible embodiment, the first number and the second number of used gear wheels are different. Thus, by using more gear wheels a greater distance can be spanned in an easy manner.
Further, the holes predetermined for the first state can differ at least in part from the holes predetermined for the second state. In this embodiment, the change of the distance to be spanned is at least in part compensated for in that the gear wheels are at least in part arranged in different holes.
In a further embodiment, at least one different gear wheel having a different diameter can be used in the second state, as compared to the first state. Thus, the varying distance to be spanned caused by the different wall thickness is adapted in that gear wheels with different diameters are used.
The three principles described before, i.e. the change of the number of gear wheels, the change of the pattern in which they are arranged, and the change of the diameter of gear wheels may also be combined with one another in an arbitrary manner so that it is possible to span different wall thicknesses as easy as possible.
Further, also other states can be predetermined in which further wall thicknesses can be spanned. This, too, can for example take place by means of the same above-described principles.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the number of holes of the chassis is greater than the first number of gear wheels and greater than the second number of gear wheels so that by varying the arrangement of the gear wheels an adaptation to the wall thickness can be accomplished.
In an alternative embodiment, also the first number, the second number and the total number of holes can be identical so that the adaptation is merely accomplished by changing the diameter of the gear wheels used.
The notes of value are transportable within the device in particular along a transport path which is predetermined in the region of the head module at least in part by the transport unit. This transport path is designed such that it runs through the intermediate module at least in part. For this, the intermediate module in particular has own transport elements, such as rollers, for transporting notes of value, which rollers can likewise be driven via the drive unit of the head module. By providing the transport path in the intermediate module, i.e. by passing the notes of value through the intermediate module, a particularly compact structure is achieved so that only a minimum opening in the safe wall is required in which the intermediate module is arranged and through which the notes of value are transported. Thus, the highest possible safety is achieved.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the intermediate module further has a transmission unit for transmitting a sensor signal between a sensor unit of the head module and a detection unit of the cash box. Thus, it is achieved that not only the drive force can be transmitted between the head module and the cash box via the intermediate module but at the same time also the sensor signals.
The sensor unit of the head module is in particular an active sensor unit for generating an output signal and for receiving an input signal, the detection unit of the cash box or of the safe module merely being a passive unit, i.e. no active signals are generated by it but only the output signal that is sent by the active sensor unit of the head module is changed so that the sensor unit of the head module receives a correspondingly different input signal. Likewise, the transmission unit of the intermediate module is preferably designed as a passive unit.
The transmission unit of the intermediate module in particular comprises an optical fiber via which light emitted by the sensor unit of the head module can be transmitted to the detection unit of the cash box. By means of the sensor unit, the detection unit and the transmission unit in particular at least one light barrier is formed.